Accordion



July 30, 1957 A. LoGLl 2,800,826

ACC'oRDIoN Filed July 19, 1954 V I 72 fC/f f3 [40 BP-7a n 29 5 33 5g J3 n W i 32 /L az4h 43g 3G94 39( H5 59 20 4; f1; 47 4f "7 ,A i" 46 l i? X L/ Xg Q JNVENToR. ri/d0 Dogg/l' j# @mM- ys* United States Patent O ACCRDION Aldo Logli, Detroit, Mich. Application July 19, 1954, Serial No. 444,029 6 Claims. (Cl. 84-376) This invention relates to accordions and, in particular, to so-called chamber-type accordions.

Hitherto, so-called chamber-type accordions have been provided for the purpose of increasing the tone quality, especially of the lower notes. In such chamber-type `accordions, certain or all of the keys are provided with two sets of reed blocks, one set of which opens directly into `the .atmosphere whereas the other set lopens indirectly or circuitously by irst opening into a tone resonance chamber which in turn opens elsewhere into the Iatmosphere. Thus, each key so equipped controls one tone which emerges 4directly into the atmosphere and another indirectly-emergent tone lof like pitch is acted upon by the chamber to give increased fullness to the directly emergent tone, such as by the resonance effect of the tone resonance chamber.

fln chamber-type accordons previously constructed, however, the tone resonance chamber has been arranged in the form of a trough disposed substantially perpendicular to the plate which supports the major portion of the reed block-s, so that the valves which control the tone resonance chamber or `indirect reed blocks move in a -direction perpendicular to the direction of motion of the valves which control the direct reed blocks, yand the two sets of valves are operated by arms having portions disposed at right angles to one another Ifor carrying the valves and actuated by the keys of the keyboard. Key- 'boards of raccordions, however, are conventionally constructed with wood framing or supports and `such wooden parts are acted upon by dampness or humidity of the atmosphere to warp or o-therwise change their previous positions. As la consequence, this `warping or expanding motion `is conveyed to the keys and thence to the arm, causing one set of the perpendicular arm portions controlling the tone resonance chamber valves to move the valves away from the openings -they are intended to cover, thereby causing the valves to insufliciently protect the openings and permitting the air to leak out of such openings. As a result, chamber type accordions hitherto constructed have been unsatisfactory in a damp atmosphere or after a protracted period of wet weather, especially the hot humid weather of summertime, because of the leakage of .air from the reed blocks associated with the `tone resonance chamber.

The present invention overcomes this disadvantage of prior chamber-type accordions by providing a chambertype accordion in which any expansion or warping of the keyboard structure has a similar effect and imparts similar motion to all the valves of the accordion, including those of `the tone resonance chamber, in `such a manner that the valves slide parallel to the openings which they are `intended to cover, instead of moving away from the openings. Accordingly, even though changes take place in the relative positions of the parts in the keyboard of the accordion of the present invention, no leakage occurs in the air emerging from the various valve openings in the accordion because the valves remain firmly in contact with the areas surrounding the openings, even though they slide slightly parallel to the openings.

Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a chamber-type accordion in which the chamber is disposed substantially parallel to the main compartment in which the major portion of the reed blocks are mounted, so -that the valve arms of the tone resonance chamber valves are moved in the same direction as the valve arms of the remaining or main reed Iblocks when any expansion or warping takes place in the keyboard structure, thereby preventing accidental leakage of air from either set of reed blocks.

Another object is to provide a chamber-type accordion of the Aforegoing character wherein the arms controlling the valves of the tone resonance chamber reed blocks are disposed substantially parallel to the arms controlling the reeds of the main reed blocks so that any expansion or warping of the keyboard Vstructure will cause a sliding motion to be imparted -t-o rboth sets of valves without pushing any of the valves away from their respective air holes or openings, so as to maintain constant coverage thereof and thereby prevent accidental leakage of air past the valves connected to the two sets of arms.

`Other objects and advantages of the invention will 1become `apparent during the course of the following description of the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a horizontal section through a portion of a chamber-type accordion constructed according to one form of the present invention, wherein accidental air leakage by .atmospheric action is prevented, taken :along the line 1-1 in Figure 2; and

Figure 2 is a cross-section taken along the line 2-2 in Figure l.

Referring to the drawings in detail, Figure 2 shows an end elevation, partly in vertical section, of an .accordion, generally designated 10, according to the present invention, having a casing, generally designated 11, a keyboard 12, a bellows 13 and an end member 14.

The bellows 13, which is composed of leather or other flexible material, is secured at either end by cement or any other suitable means to a frame 15, these frames being fastened as :at 16 to the casing 11 (Figure 2) or to the end member 14. The casing 11, which is preferably composed -of molded plastic, has oppositely-located side walls 17 and 18 and includes a traylike extension of the side wall 17 -forming the keyboard enclosure 19, in which the keys 20 of the keyboard are pivotally mounted upon a pivot member 21. The pivot member 21 is itself mounted in keyboard enclosure end members 22 forming the ends of the keyboard enclosure 19. Also secured as 1at 23 to the inside of this keyboard enclosure lare leal .springs 24 which press against the under sides of the eX- posed ends of the keys 20 `and urge the other ends of said keys against a stop bar 25 which is secured to the inside of the keyboard enclosure 19. The keys 20 are provided with arms and valve members of various lengths, 'as described below.

Secured to the `side wall 17 of the casing 11 is a block 26 preferably located `adjacent and secured to the keyboard enclosure end members 22 and the stop bar 25. Secured in turn to the inner side 27 of this .fblock is the lower wall portion 28 of a supporting plate 29. This supporting plate 29 is bent at right angles as at 30 to continue .as an intermediate wall 31, narrow in width but having a length extending almost the entire length of the casing 11. Secured to the under side of the lower wall 28 is an elongated perforated base 39. Slidably located within the base 39 in oppositely-facing troughs or grooves 32 are tone control strip valves 33 (Figure 2) in the form of perforated plates with air openings 34 therein. The strip valves 33, the base 39 and the plate 29 are provided with two rows of similar rectangular openings vor perforations 34, and 36 vrespectively, so arranged that they will coincide when the slidable strip valves 33 are moved to a certain position. Remaining portions of the supporting plate 29 will -be described below.

Removably mounted upon the under side of the lower wall 28 of the plate 29 is a lower reed block 37 which is held in place by hooks and by end projections cooperating with overhanging shelf members, not shown. The lower reed block 37, which is elongated and approximately rectangular in shape, includes the base 39 having two rows of the rectangular air openings or holes 35 similar to and coinciding with the air openings or holes 36 in the plate 29. Projecting perpendicularly away from the base 39 is a longitudinal partition 40 which perpendicularly intersects a number of substantially similar transverse partitions 41 spaced longitudinally apart from one another at intervals therealong. The partitions 41 also project perpendicularly from the base 39 to which they are cemented or otherwise secured (Figure 2). The top portions of the partitions 40 and 41 are covered by a top member 42 running the length of the reed block 37 but bent to provide for graduation in the height of the transverse partitions 41 (not shown). As a result of this construction7 the reed block 37 contains two parallel rows of tone compartments or tone chambers 43 graduated in size along the length of the reed block.

The sides of the tone compartments 43 are closed by reed plates 44, one of which is tted over each of the compartments. Each reed plate 44 is provided with two openings 45, each of said openings having on one side a reed 46 and on the other side a flap valve 47. One of these openings 45 serves as an exhaust port for air within the tone compartment 43 with which the opening communicates, and the reed 46 of that opening 45 is located over the said opening on the inner side of the reed plate 44 within the compartment 43, while the corresponding flap valve 47 yieldably covers the same opening 45 on the outer side of the reed plate 44. As regards the other adjacent opening 45 in the same reed plate, however, the above order is reversed, namely that this adjacent opening 45 serves as an intake for air entering the compartment 43 and the reed 46 with which it is furnished is mounted over the said opening on the outer side of the reed plate 44, Whereas the corresponding flap valve 47 is located on the inner side thereof.

Also communicating with each tone compartment 43 is a hole 48 formed by the combined aligned openings 35, 36 and 34 respectively in the reed block base 39, the plate 29 and the strip valves 33. This hole 48 serves as a two-way air passageway for air entering or leaving the tone compartment 43 through the openings 45. Certain of the holes 48 in the reed block 37 may be closed by moving one of the slidable strip valves 33 backward or forward in its trough 32 so that the openings 34 in the strip valve are no longer in coincidence with the other openings 35 and 36 composing the holes 48. The `strip valves 33 are moved to and fro by conventional levers (not shown).

The supporting plate 29, and particularly the lower Wall 28 and the intermediate wall 31 thereof, described above, is provided with an elongated closure plate 49 secured as at 50 to end walls 51. Thus, the intermediate wall 31, the flat portion 28 and the flat portion 49 form a U-shaped part of the supporting plate 29. This U-shaped part partially encloses a space, generally designated 54, constituting` the tone resonance chamber for the lower reed block 37 and providing room for the operation of the valves described below. The ends of this space 54 are closed by the end wall members 51 (Figure 4).

The supporting plate 29 above the intermediate wall 31 is again bentat right angles as at 56 and terminates in an upper` wall 57, the further end of which is secured as at 58 to the side wall 18 of the casing 11. Mounted upon oneside of the upper wall 57 are upper reed blocks 59. and 60, substantially similar to. each other. The upper reed blocks 59 and 60 are generally similar in construction to the inner reed block 37 described above and their corresponding parts are similarly designated by reference numerals. They are located adjacent each other in the middle part of the upper wall 57 between the long edges thereof.

Referring again to Figure 2, each of the keys 20 in the keyboard 12 is provided at its inner end with a pair of arms for simultaneous actuation thereby, namely a long arm 71 or 73, and a short arm 75 or 77, these arms being of one of four different shapes and lengths, a valve 72, 74, 76 or 78 being secured to each such arm. These arms 71, 73, 75 or 77 are arranged so that the valves 72, 74, 76 or 78 associated with them will normally close the openings 35 in the lower wall 28 of the supporting plate 29, or certain of the openings 35 in the upper wall 57 of the supporting plate 29. These valves 72, 74, 76 or 78 are urged against said openings 35 by the action of the leaf springs 24 against the keys 20.

In particular, certain of the keys 20 are provided with the long arms 71 or 73, to the further ends of which are secured the valves 72 or 74. These valves 72 or 74 serve to close the openings 35 communicating with the interior of the reed block 59 and to close the openings 35 communicating with the interior of the reed block 60. The same keys 20 are furnished with the short arms 75 or 77 which are bent inward and have the valves 76 or 78 secured to their further ends within the tone resonance chamber 54. These valves 76 or 78 close the openings 35 in the lower wall 28 of the supporting plate 29, thus controlling the passage of air through the tone compartments 43 of the lower reed block 57. When the corresponding keys 20 are depressed with the iingers, the valves 76 and 78, moving to and fro within the trough-shaped chamber 54, are withdrawn from the holes 35 in the lower wall 28 of the supporting plate 29.

A cover 79 is secured to the casing 11 against the side wall 18 and the ribs 22 of the keyboard enclosure 19 and conceals the reed blocks, the arms and valves and other parts already described and prevents the accumulation of dirt therein. It will also be understood that the accordion of the present invention is provided with the conventional carrying straps and other usual equipment forming no part of the present invention and hence not described herein.

ln the operation of the accordion 10 of the present invention, when the keys 2t) are depressed in the usual manner in playing the instrument, the reed block valves 76 and 78 of the tone resonance chamber reed block 37 rise off their seats in the same direction, i. e., parallel to the direction of motion of the main reed block valves 72 and 74 relatively to the main reed blocks 59 and 60.

However, if expansion or warping occurs in the keyboard supporting structure 19, 25, 26 of the accordion 10 of the present invention by reason of dampness or from other causes, the tone resonance chamber reed block valves 76 and 78 are pushed parallel to their respective openings 36 while the main reed block valves 72 and 74 are also pushed parallel to the chamber reed block valves 76 and '78 and parallel to their respective openings 36. Consequently, no leakage occurs in the applicants present accordion 10, by reason of such atmospheric expansion or warping, because all of the reed block valves slide parallel to and cross their respective openings without uncovering them, rather than moving perpendi-cular thereto and uncovering the openings, as in a prior conventional chamber-type accordion.

What I claim is:

1. In an accordion, a hollow casing, a perforated plate mounted in said casing, an open-mouthed tone resonance chamber disposed adjacent said plate, said chamber having spaced walls with one of said walls disposed substantially parallel to said plate, said plate and one of said walls having a multiplicity of air holes therethrough, a plurality of hollow reed blocks disposed adjacent said air holesv in said plate andI hole-equipped wall respectively,

said reed blocks having reed compartments communicating with said holes, valve members disposed adjacent and in closing relationship with said holes in said plate and chamber wall, a keyboard connected to said casing and having keys movably mounted thereon, and motiontransmitting members connecting said keys to said valve members.

2. In an accordion, a hollow casing, a perforated plate mounted in said casing, an open-mouthed tone resonance chamber disposed adjacent said plate, said chamber having spaced walls with one of said walls disposed substan- -tially parallel to said plate, said plate and one of said walls having a multiplicity of air holes therethrough, a plurality of hollow reed blocks disposed adjacent said air holes in said plate and hole-equipped wall respectively, said reed blocks having reed compartments communicating with said holes, valve members disposed adjacent and in closing relationship with said holes in said plate and chamber wall, a keyboard connected to said casing and having keys movably mounted thereon, and motiontransmitting members connecting said keys to said valve members, the open mouth of said tone resonance chamber being disposed remote from said plate.

3. In an accordion, a hollow casing, a perforated plate mounted in said casing, an open-mouthed tone resonance chamber disposed adjacent said plate, said chamber having spaced walls with one of said walls disposed substantially parallel to said plate, said plate and one of said walls having a multiplicity of air holes therethrough, a plurality of hollow reed blocks disposed adjacent said air holes in said plate and hole-equipped Wall respectively, said reed blocks having reed compartments communicating with said holes, valve members disposed adjacent and in closing relationship with said holes in said plate and chamber wall, a keyboard connected to said casing and having keys movably mounted thereon, and motiontransmitting members connecting said keys to said valve members, the open mouth of said tone resonance chamber being disposed remote from said plate, the valve members adjacent said chamber wall being disposed substantially parallel to the valve members adjacent said plate, the valve member arms of the chamber valve members passing through the open mouth of said chamber.

4. In an accordion, a hollow casing, a perforated plate mounted in said casing, an open-mouthed tone resonance chamber disposed adjacent said plate, said chamber having spaced walls with one of said walls disposed substantially parallel to said plate, said plate and one of said walls having a multiplicity of air holes therethrough, a plurality of hollow reed blocks disposed adjacent said air holes in said plate and hole-equipped wall respectively, said reed blocks having reed compartments communicating with said holes, a rst set of valve members disposed adjacent and in closing relationship with said holes in said plate, a second set of valve members disposed adjacent and in closing relationship with said holes in said chamber wall, a keyboard connected to said casing and having keys movably mounted thereon, and motiontransmitting members connecting said keys to said sets of valve members, each key having two motion-transmitting members connected thereto one of which is connected to a valve member of the first set and the other of which is connected to a valve member of the second set.

5. In an accordion, a hollow casing, a perforated plate mounted in said casing and having a pair of approximately parallel plate portions offset relatively to one another with a connecting wall therebetween, said plate portions having a multiplicity of air holes therethrough, a tone resonance chamber side closure plate spaced apart from the lower level plate portion in engagement with said connecting wall to form an open-mouthed tone resonance chamber, a plurality of hollow reed blocks disposed adjacent said air holes and having reed compartments communicating therewith, valve members disposed in closing relationship adjacent said air holes, a keyboard connected to said casing and having keys movably mounted thereon, and motion-transmitting members connecting said keys to said valve members.

6. In an accordion, a hollow casing, a perforated plate mounted in said casing and having a pair of approximate ly parallel plate portions oiset relatively to one another with a connecting wall therebetween, said plate portions having a multiplicity of air holes therethrough, a tone resonance chamber side closure plate spaced apart from the lower level plate portion in engagement with said connecting wall to form an open-mouthed tone resonance chamber, a plurality of hollow reed blocks disposed adjacent said air holes and having reed compartments communicating therewith, valve members disposed in closing relationship adjacent said air holes, a keyboard connected to said casing and having keys movably mounted thereon, and motion-transmitting members connecting said keys to said valve members, said motion-transmitting members including arms connecting said keys to said valve members, each key having a pair of arms connected thereto for simultaneous actuation thereby, one of said arms being connected to a valve member of one of said plate portions and the other arm being connected to a valve member of the other plate portion.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,297,032 Stahl Sept. 29, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS 247,658 Germany June 3, 1912 377,027 Italy Dec. 5, 1939 

